


Broken Maze

by badmoon



Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Alternate Universe - Five Nights at Freddy's, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Attempted Sexual Assault, F/M, Five Nights at Freddy's 1, Kidnapping, Other, Pizzeria simulater
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-28 20:07:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13911225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badmoon/pseuds/badmoon
Summary: Iris goes to work on the newly reopened Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. What mysteries will she uncover? What dark secret are waiting for her to be uncovered?This is going off the Insanity Ending of FFPS.





	1. Chapter 1

Iris started her first day of work. Despite the restaurants reputation and the rumors of the previous owner going insane, she was excited. She had heard good things about this location of the old pizzeria chain.  
She had to talk her aunt and uncle into letting her work there. They didn't want her working there but she had pointed she was legally an adult and they had to let her make her own decisions.  
She walked into the doors. "Hello?" she called.  
The man who interviewed her turned and smile. "Iris, I am glad you made it."  
"Jack, I said I would be here."  
"Do you want a tour or do you want to go straight to work?"  
"Tour, I guess."  
Jack showed her around. He kept looking at her in a way that made her uncomfortable. "This are the Rockstar animatronics. We have more in the back. We like changing them to bring in more consumers."  
"They are different from the pictures I've seen."  
Jack frowned. "I think they all are unused prototypes." He changed the subject. "You said you live with your aunt and uncle, right?"  
"Yeah, my mother passed away when I was fourteen, I never knew my dad." she groaned. She hated talking about it.  
"So you went to live with them after that."  
She shook her head. "We all lived together since before I was born."  
"Any cousins?"  
"Short of, there's others living with us they take care of." She didn't feel like explaining her family life. Or anything about her personal life.  
"So their faster parents."  
Iris nodded.  
"Maybe you can have them come here?"  
"They would like that."  
They heard a childlike voice yell. "Can you put safety straps on this thing already?"  
They ran to the small purple and white bear animatronic. "I am working on that," Jack said. "Helpy, this is Iris."  
Helpy hugged her. "Hi." She looked friendly.  
She laughed. He was so cute. "Hi."  
"Helpy, she will take the morning shift. She will be helping you to get this place ready to open."  
"We are are going to have lots of fun."  
She smiled. "I hope so."  
"So do I," another man said.  
Helpy stiffen up. He didn't like him all.  
Iris didn't like him either. There was bad vibes coming from him.  
"I am Ryan. It will be a pleasure to help you."  
"Hello. I think I got everything covered."  
He rubbed his arms. "Brrr, ice."  
"Ryan, go home." Jack said.  
"Yes, boss." He left.  
"You set."  
She nodded.  
Iris got to work. With Helpy's help she got the place ready to open.  
She started exploring. She was studying the animatronics in the backroom when she heard laughter.  
She turned her attention to the sound. "Hello?"  
"Oh, the wall are so thin." A voice said.  
Iris followed the voice. "What are you talking about?"  
"You sound pretty."  
She moved some boxes and found a sealed door. She pressed her ear to the door. "Hello?"  
"Hi." the voice sounded like he was doing the same thing she was.  
"Who are you?"  
He laughed. "That's the question isn't it? But you can call me ... Um... Freddy."  
"Iris."  
"Pretty name." he touched the door. "Can you open this door?"  
"No, it's sealed."  
"How sad, I am so alone. Just me, myself and I in here."  
She had a feeling, but she had to make sure. "Are you an animatronic?"  
He laughed. "Yes, I am."  
"Iris?" a little voice chimed.  
She looked at Helpy. "What's up?"  
"Who are you talking to?" His voice held the worry his face couldn't show. "Is it Molten Freddy?"  
"I think so."  
"I know you have to go," Molten Freddy said. "Please talk to me later."  
She walked up to Helpy. "What's wrong?"  
"Nothing. Molten Freddy sounds like he likes you. He doesn't like many people."  
"Is he nice to you?"  
Helpy nodded. "He likes other animatronics."  
"Is there a way to see him?"  
Helpy looked away.  
"Helpy."  
"It's a secret, and I have to trust you first before I can tell you."  
She smiled. "I understand."  
Jack called out. "Time to open the doors, you still have work to do."  
After work Iris went home and told her family everything that happened at work. They were happy she was making friends and told her to be careful. They still had ill feelings about her working there.  
A week passed. Iris talked about her family and Helpy told her about the animatronics and the people working there. He liked her more and more. She was kind to him. She didn't ignore him and treated him like a person.  
Helpy decided he could trust her. He showed her a way to get inside the sealed off area.  
Iris made her way inside. The room they found themselves in had vent on all sides and was full of things from the pizzeria.  
She picked up a plush of Toy Freddy. She studied the room. It was full of things from that location.  
"Molten Freddy told me each room is different." Helpy said.  
She nodded. "Let's find him, okay."  
"Iris, I forgot to tell you. You must promise not to tell anyone how to get in or out of here."  
She nodded. "I promise." She crawled into a vent.  
Molten Freddy laughed. "Iris, are you in here with me?"  
"Yes." she got out of the vent.  
"I am so happy." He thundered toward her. He got out of the vent and into the room she was in.  
She stared at Molten Freddy. This mass of wires with a ruined Freddy mask.  
"You're different from any animatronic I've ever seen." She wasn't scared of him. She was fascinated. She touched a loose wire.  
"you're not scared of me?"  
"Of course not. Tell me, are you all wire or do you have a base frame?"  
"I have a base frame." He heard the voices of the others. "Help us."  
"What?"  
"I am... three different... animatronics."  
She looked at him worried. "Molten Freddy."  
"Don't worry, we all like you."  
"I am glad, but I am worried about you. All of you."  
He hugged her wrapping his wires around her. "Will you help us?"  
"I will try."  
"Thank you." He let her go.  
"Who were you three before?"  
He told her. "Go, before you get caught in here."  
She nodded. She ran back to Helpy. He lead her out.  
She hugged him. "Thank you, Helpy," Iris said.  
Helpy jumped. "I am glad you two..."  
"What do we have here?" Jack said. "Have you been a naughty girl and been inside the secret area?"  
"I am sorry, it won't happen again."  
"You're not sorry yet, but you will be." He grabbed her. He started dragging her off.  
She fought him. She turned her arm toward his thumb hard and got out of his grip. She ran from him.  
"Oh, I got me a smart bitch this time. This should be fun." He ran after her. He over to her and slammed her into a wall.  
She got a the wind knocked out of her. She was stunned for a moment.  
He took his chance and ripped her shirt opened. "I fucking loved it when bitches fight. Makes it more satisfying." His kissed her.  
She bit his lip.  
He jumped back pushing her away from him. "You god damn whore." Blood ran down his face.  
She fall back. "You're not man enough for this."  
Jack removed his belt. "I am going to..." Blood exploded from his chest and rain down on Iris.  
Jack looked down at the wire sticking out of his chest. He screamed.  
Helpy hugged her. "I didn't know what else to do."  
Molten Freddy slammed Jack against the wall. "Don't you dare try to hurt my friends!"  
"Fuck off you piece of shit."  
Molten Freddy wrapped a wire around Jack's neck. "You will never hurt my friends again." He wrapped and squeezed his wires down on Jack.  
Jack screamed. His bones snapped.  His screams kept getting louder and louder. There was a goggling sound coming from him. There was a loud snap, and everything became silent.  
Molten Freddy dropped Jack's body. He turned to Iris.  
He used his blood soaked wires to lift her up to her feet. "Did he hurt you?"  
She covered herself. "I may bruise but I will be fine."  
He wrapped the tears off her cheeks. "Iris, I promise, I will protect you while you're here."  
She looked at Jack's dead body, then at Molten Freddy. She knew he would, but she wasn't sure if it was out of friendship or not.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iris goes back to work. Death doesn't interrupt business. And Iris meets the new mechanic.

Iris told her aunt and uncle what happened at the pizzeria. She had a hard time convincing them to let her continue working at the restaurant, but they finally gave in and agreed.  
Iris walked into work and found Ryan was now the manager. They had removed Jack's body. Ryan wouldn't tell her what happen to it, and Helpy didn't know either.  
Iris was tasked with scrubbing the blood off the floor and walls. Blood was harder to remove from the grout between the tiles.   
Helpy hugged her. "I am glad you came back."  
"I have no reason not to." She patted his hand.  
"Are you mad that I did what I asked you not to?"  
"No Helpy, I am not mad, you did it to save me."  
"I thought you would be because I broke the rules."  
"You broke them to save me."  
He nodded. "You are the first human that's hasn't treated me like an object."  
Iris sighed. She believed it. "Their lose."  
"Ryan's gone."  
"Okay we can see Molten Freddy once we are done here."  
Helpy didn't want to work, but he understood she had to. He didn't want her being fired. "Oh good, he was afraid he made you scared of him."  
She shook her head. "I am not afraid of him, just what he can do. But everyone is capable if bad things."   
Helpy changed to subject. "Iris, this area's as clean as you can make it."  
She looked down on the area she was working on. It was clean and the stain wasn't noticeable, but her mind still saw it.  
He took her by the hand. "I need help with the games."  
She nodded. She knew he didn't really need her help. He was just trying to get her to stop scrubbing an non-existent stain.   
She got up and put the cleaning supplies away. She went to the arcade.  
Iris play games with Helpy. After they were done he showed her some of his hobbies. He got two toy fishing poles and took her to the ball pit. "Sometimes, I do catch something. Usually a shoe."  
"At least you catch something."   
Helpy showed her how the fishing pole worked.  
"I better check on Molten Freddy before he thinks I am mad at him."   
"Okay, I will be a lookout."  
She nodded. She when into the maze. She called out. "Molten Freddy?"  
"I am in the office."   
"I don't know where that is."  
He laughed. "Oh, right." He went to her. He wanted to hug her, but he was afraid to. Part of him told him to do it anyway, part of him told him to wait. He wasn't sure.  
She smiled. "I wish you can be out there with us."  
"Me too. I can leave anytime I want now but... I would be noticed gone, and I will be noticed out there."  
"Do you have a TV in here or a computer?"  
"We do have both."   
"I will bring a gaming system and some co-op and fighting games."  
"I would like that."  
"Molten Freddy, hug me already."  
He carefully hugged her. He wrapped his arms and some wires around her.  
Helpy came in. "Ryan's back with someone else."  
Iris and Helpy hurried out of the maze. They walked calmly to the party room.  
Ryan was there with another man. "Iris, there you are, this is Ken, he will be our mechanic."  
Ken smiled. "Nice to meet you." He offered a hand.   
Iris took it. "I hope we can get along."  
He laughed. "I hope so too."  
Helpy tugged on her pant leg. She knew what he wanted. "I have to get back to work."  
"Iris, I want you to show Ken around," Ryan said.  
"You were put in charge." She turned on her heel. She showed Ken around.   
Helpy stayed by her side.  
"After work do you want to grab something?"  
"No, I have to go straight home."  
"Still live with mom and dad?"  
"Something like that."  
"You're an adult, move."  
"I like living with my family."  
He put his hands up and backed off. "The little bot seems to be your puppy."  
"Helpy's my friend, there was a bad incident yesterday and he's worried about me."  
Ken laughed. "Worried about you?" He shook his head. "It's just a machine. No emotions."  
She stopped and looked at him. "You're wrong, Helpy isn't just a machine."  
"You're projecting emotions on an object."  
"You don't know anything." She stormed off.   
Helpy ran after her. He took her hand. "Thank you."  
She smiled. 

The next day she went to work carrying a backpack.   
Helpy ran behind her. "Help."  
Ken came into view. "Give it to me right now."  
"He tore Nedbear apart and wasn't nice about it."  
Iris put her arms around Helpy. "No, you're not going to lay a finger on him."  
"It's just a robot. Now hand it over."  
"Listen asshole. I told you, you're not touching him."  
"If I have to go through you to get to it, I will.".  
Iris stood up. "You don't have what it takes to take him from me."  
Ken backed off. "I am not going to fight you, but its right hand isn't working right."  
"I can fix myself," Helpy said.  
"You're a defiant little machine." Ken growled. "You can't fix yourself."  
"I will do what he can't," Iris said.  
Ken laughed. "You, fix it, that's ridiculous."  
"My uncle taught me how to fix and maintain animatronics. It's part of the reason I got this job."  
"You are my assistant?" he couldn't believe it. "You will be crying and whining your hands hurt."  
She was tired of ha shit. "I will take care of the animatronics and you assistant me."  
"You got sass and an ass, I will give you that."  
"Come with me, Helpy."   
Helpy followed her to the back room. She had him sit on the table. She carefully removed the plastic casing around his hand and arm. She tested the resistance on his fingers and wrist. She ran his wires next. She found a loose connection. She fixed it. "How is that?"  
He tested his hand. "All better."  
"Your compassion is wasted," Ken said.  
"No compassion is wasted." Iris stated putting Helpy's arm back together. "If you treat anyone right, machine or not, they will work with you."  
"Who taught you that?"   
"My family."  
"They're a bunch of fruitcakes, aren't they?"  
She found herself smiling a little. "They're different."  
She turned her attention to Nedbear. She touched his face. He looked repaired but there was something off about him. "You did a number on him."  
"It will work fine."  
"No you crossed wired him."  
"Iris!" Helpy screamed.  
Iris turned and saw Ken shocking Helpy. "STOP!" She put her arms around Helpy. "Why were you hurting him?" she was crying.  
"You need to wake up. It's just a robot, no more, no less. It may be able to fake friendship and emotions but... "  
She punched Ken across the jaw. "You asshole. You blind asshole. He may not be able to show emotions like you and me. But he can feel."  
"You're the blind one."  
"Get out, quit we don't need you here."  
"If you don't like..." Ken was lifted off the ground.  
"Don't this guy hurt you?" Molten Freddy asked.  
Iris shook her head. "Not me, Helpy and..." she looked at Nedbear. "He may not be like you and Helpy, but he didn't deserve what this man did to him."  
"No more blood!" Helpy yelled. "Let him go."  
Molten Freddy put Ken down. Ken ran and grabbed Iris. "You machincal freaks stay back." He pulled out the tazer. "This was made to put you in control. It can kill a human."  
"Put that down. We don't want to hurt you." Helpy said.  
"You fuckers stay where you are." Ken pointed the tazer at them.   
Iris took her obituary and slammed her foot hard into Ken's foot. He let her go. She turned and pushed him into a wall.  
Iris stepped back. Ken had a shocked look on his face. Ken lifted his hand then it dropped. The scent of blood filled the room.   
Iris looked beyond Ken and saw blood streaming down the wall behind him. She looked at his face with her own shock. She had backed him into a hook on the wall.    
"B..." Ken spit up blood.   
Molten Freddy turned Iris to face him. He made her look at him. "It's his fault."  
"What?"  
"It's his fault. You were defending yourself. You didn't know it was there."   
She tried to look at Ken but Molten Freddy wouldn't let her. He took her by the hand and dragged her out of the room.  
She fought him. "I need to fix Nedbear."  
He picked her up. "I will bring him to you." He took her to the farthest room from the back room. "It will be okay."  
"I know." She tried to give him a smile, but couldn't.   
Molten Freddy gave her one of his eyes. "You can keep this. I have many of them."  
"Molten Freddy..."  
"Iris, you can't look at any part of me without seeing an eyeball."  
"I know what you're doing and I appreciate it, but let me deal with it, okay."   
He looked down and nodded.  
Iris adjusted his bowtie. "You and Helpy can help me."  
He pricked up. "I will do what I can."  
Molten Freddy brought Nedbear to Iris. Helpy brought the tools.   
Iris went to work. Helpy and Molten Freddy went back and forth from the backroom to get Iris parts and tools.  
One stayed with her to make sure she didn't breakdown.  
When Iris was closing up Molten Freddy disappeared back into The Maze suddenly.  
Ryan walked in. "Where's Ken?" he asked.  
"Backroom," Iris said simply.   
"Why are you working on Nedbear out here?"  
"Because I can't work in the backroom."  
He groaned. "Don't tell me you and Ken aren't getting alone."  
"We didn't."  
"Ken is in the backroom right?"   
Iris nodded.   
Ryan stormed into the backroom. He came back out in shock. "How?"  
"We had an argument about the treatment of the animatronics and he... stumbled back into the wall. He must if hit a hook."  
Ryan shook his head. "Help me with the body."  
Iris looked at him. "What?"  
"Help me with the body. We need to cremate it."  
Iris got up and followed Ryan to the back room. They unhooked Ken's body and carried it down to the basement. Iris   
He opened the door to a cremation chamber. "This is where they use to burn the bodies of the night guards who were stuff into suits."  
"You admit the stories are true."  
"Tell me, how can you be friends with robots you know can murder people?"  
"We all can murder someone, and they haven't threaten me."  
"They will."  
"I can take care of myself."   
They put Ken's body in there chamber. "Iris, I don't want to put your body in this thing."  
"Don't worry about me and don't mistreat me or the animatronics, and everything should be fine."  
He frowned. "Fine, whatever you say." He closed and latched the door. "You have mechanic duty now too."  
"I will accept that."  
He sighed and pushed the button. She confused him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new animatronic has come to the pizzeria and some other unwelcome things.

Ryan had one last thing to do before waiting for Iris. He walked into the alley behind the pizzeria. He was surprised. He never found anything back there before.   
With the help of one of those lifts designed to remove car motors. He lifted the animatronic to its feet and went back in to preform the tests on it.   
It was successful. Ryan sealed the door behind him. He sighed and leaned against the door. He had a really bad headache after he finished the tests. He tried to think of something nice, something else. He started writing a note for Iris. By the end of the note he was asking her out. He smiled at himself. "I can do that on my own."   
He folded the note and walked into the main room of the restaurant. "Helpy?" He called.  
Helpy came out of the ball pit. They came to an understanding in the last few months. They weren't friends, but they both wanted the same things. The restaurant to run smoothly and to make Iris happy. "Yes, Ryan." Helpy said.  
"I am heading out early, I trust you to be here alone. Tell Iris that Mr Hippo's on repeat again." He rubbed his temples.   
"Will do."

Iris come in late. She ran in talking her head off. "Sorry I am late I got a flat on... Ryan." She looked around.  
"He went home and left me in charge," Helpy said. "Hug."  
She hugged him and she was hugged from behind. She was lifted off the ground. "I missed you." Molten Freddy said.  
She laughed. "You saw me yesterday."  
"But I get lonely in The maze." He let her go.  
She turned and looked at Molten Freddy. "Molten Freddy even if I got fired I would still come back and complete my promise, and to see you and Helpy."  
"I know that."  
"Oh, I got some blueprints of Funtime Foxy and Ballora, and some parts. It's not much but it's a start."  
"It is."  
"My uncle thinks we might have to fabricate some of your parts. You mind that?"  
"Not at all."  
"How sweet, and pitiful." A female voice said on the other side of the room. "It's sickening."  
"Iris, Helpy, Baby." Molten Freddy said disgusted.  
"Heard so much about you," Iris said with a smile.   
Baby snared at her. "Don't you dare try to be my friend."  
"And don't you dare be uppity with me." Iris let her hostility show.  
Molten Freddy waved his hands, "There's no need to fight." He, they were nervous.  
Baby laughed. "I don't know if I like you or want to rip your head off."  
Iris didn't like the way Baby said that. "That's an odd thing to say to someone."  
"If you say so."  
Molten Freddy couldn't hold back anymore. "If you hurt Iris, Baby, I swear I will take you apart and make sure they can never put you back together again."  
"Oh, such a heated threat, I think you mean that."  
"It's not a threat, it's a fact."  
Baby was quiet for a long time. They had defied her and pushed her out of their collective form. She had every reason to believe they would follow through with the threat. "Fine, I will leave her alone." She said finally. She wasn't happy about it.  
"Good," Molten Freddy said. "Let's play hide and seek."  
Iris laughed. "Work first."  
"Of course, Baby and I will go back to The Maze."  
"Don't you dare speak for me!" Baby yelled.  
"Here's the deal, Baby, Iris is the only one that should know we can escape The Maze. If anyone else finds out, the will shock us until our parts are unusable or worse. I don't care about you. But I want to be back to the way we were, I can't do that if you mess it up."  
Baby rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever you say Molten Freddy. "  
Molten Freddy and Baby went back to The Maze. Iris and Helpy went to work.  
Iris was tightening a bolt on the monkey bars when a woman came in. She was older than Iris and attractive.  
"Can I help you?" Iris asked.  
"Yes, I need to see Ryan."  
"He's not here."  
"When will he be back?" The woman smiled annoyed.  
"I don't know, I will tell him you came by." Iris was unnerved by her.  
"Yes, tell him Heather came by looking for him."  
"Will do."  
The woman left. Iris let out a breathe she was holding.   
"I don't like her," Helpy said. "She gives me the creeps."  
She hugged him. "I will keep you safe from her."  
Helpy laughed. "I may be little but I can hold my own."  
"I know you can." She smiled but deep down she felt helpless. It wasn't just Molten Freddy killed a guy to protect her or everything else he and Helpy done to protect her. It was everyone around her for her whole life went out of their way to keep her safe. She couldn't remember a time she was alone. There was always someone there to watch over her. Like she really was a delicate flower. It was both comforting and disheartening.   
Helpy shook her and snapped her back to reality. "Iris you were staring off into space."  
"Sorry, I was deep in thought."  
"We know, you didn't notice me walk in," Ryan said. "Helpy told me about the woman."  
"Who is she?"  
"Well this is embarrassing, I dated her awhile ago. She thinks she owns me." He looked embarrassed, angry and tired.  
"And she won't accept it's over?"  
"Exactly, it... I was a stupider guy a year ago."  
"Are you saying you're stupid?" Iris teased.  
"Yeah, but a little bit wiser now and I want more out of a relationship."  
"Don't we all?"  
"No, but we all are different." He sighed. "I will need your help this evening. You up for over time."  
"I am not working security am I?" She was worried. She heard the stories.  
He shook his head, "No, just the biggest birthday party we ever had here and I may need all hands for clean up and repairs."  
She was relieved. "I will call my uncle and let him know."  
"Not your aunt?"  
"Don't be old fashioned, my aunt works and my uncle stays home and does the house work, cooking and sowing."  
"No, I wasn't implying that but it's good to know, I just noticed when you call home it's always to your uncle."  
"Oh, right, yeah, he's usually the one home." Iris went to call her uncle.  
She came back. "He wasn't happy, but it's my choice."  
"Okay, ummm... After work I'll take you to dinner."  
"No, you won't."  
He nodded. "Okay, I won't give up."  
"Have you read the employee handbook?"  
"Have you?"  
She shook her head. "You have strange tastes."  
"Let's get this place ready."  
They got to work and other employees come in. Everything was running as smoothly as it could.  
Iris went into the manger's office for her lunch break. There had been a shift change and she didn't know anybody working except Ryan. She never seen him work before. She was usually in the backroom or some other unseen place fixing something. Ryan seem more professional when other people were around.  
She took out her lunch that her uncle packed for her from the office's mini fridge. It was simple, a ham sandwich, chips, baby carrots, and apples slices cut into bunnies. Her uncle always did things like that. Snacks in cute shapes he found on the Internet to do and other things that would come across as cute in some way. It always made her smile.  
The security guard she just met that day came in. He was a big man. He seem bigger than the doorway somehow. He was all height and muscle and didn't skip leg day either.  
"Ummm, hi." She said.  
"Where is Ryan?"  
"I haven't seen him since before my lunch break."  
"Oh?" The large man came over and looked at what she had. "Did your mommy pack your lunch?" He picked up an apple bunny.  
She let him have it. she didn't want it anymore. "No, my uncle did."  
"Is he gay?"  
She growled. She didn't have a problem with homosexuality. She had a problem with people thinking the wrong things. "Far from it."  
"Than he must be in the closet because guys aren't into cute things." He threw out the apple bunny.  
"Are you kidding me, or are you that backwards?"  
"What?"  
"Liking cute things isn't for just girls and gay men. Straight, manly-man like cute things too. Honestly, the only thing that really can be gender roled is when it comes to making babies."  
"Yeah, and who bring home the bacon in your house?"  
"My aunt goes out to work and my uncle stays home. She's the bread winner and he's the happy little homemaker. And they are happy." She couldn't believe she was having this talk again.  
"He must be a pussy in bed."  
"I don't want to know about their sex life, but from what I can tell by their body language it's a happy one." She was embarrassed. She didn't want to think about it.  
He waved it off. He was getting a headache. "So what to grab some dinner later?"   
She shook her head. "No, you're twice my age and you insulted my uncle."  
"I wouldn't think a girl like you cares about age."  
She was getting angry. "Girl like me?"  
"Cute, cozy with the boss, feminist when it suits her."  
"I am not a feminist or cozy with the boss. I do believe in equality not for just women but men too. I mean why should women be the only one be able to pick their doctors. As for Ryan, he was my friend before he became in charge." The last was a lie but it didn't matter.  
He laughed, "From what I hear Ryan is friend with benefits when it comes to girls."  
"Jesus, Lloyd, I am not that low of a person," Ryan walked in to the office. "You think that little of me."  
Lloyd snared at him. "It's what I heard."  
"Let me straighten you out. I am a healthy straight male in his twenties and I have made a questionable choices when it comes to women in the past. But the one thing I have never done is treated them as objects or prizes."  
"Oh, I know the prizes thing is untrue. I can see it in your face, everyone has seen it. You want this girl."  
Ryan was the one getting mad now. "I may not able to fire you but that doesn't mean I can't make your schedule where you don't work."  
Lloyd eyes went wide for a moment. "I am stating what everyone has seen."  
"No, you're belittling me and you've been an asshole to everyone." Ryan stepped closer to the bigger man. "You may be able to throw me across the room, but you can't bully me into agreeing with you. Yes, I am attached to Iris, and yes I would like to date her, but it's not why I treat her nicely. She is a nice person and has an ability to make people be nice to her."  
"Whatever," he pushed Ryan.   
Ryan fell backwards and hit his head on a filing cabinet. When he got his wind back he growled. "Get out. Take some time off."  
Lloyd was taken back. Ryan really was going to do it. "I hope her ass is worth it." He stormed out.  
Iris kneeled down behind him. She checked where he hit his head. "You're not bleeding." She looked into his eyes.  
Ryan knew why she was doing it. But it didn't stop it being intimate. "You know if this was movie or book you'd be kissing me not checking for a concussion."  
"If this was a movie or book you'd be more attractive and rugged."  
"Can I tell you a secret then?"  
She sighed. "Why not?"  
"When I was a kid I stood up to a bully and about the same thing happened and I was hurt worse, a lot worse. I didn't have a pretty girl to check on me like now. I passed out. And I saw monsters. And they were cutting me up and putting me back together. Okay, maybe I was just out of it and my brain was just playing tricks on me and filled in its own narrative as it healed."  
"You're full of it, Ryan."  
He took her hand and put it on the scar he still had of it. "Feel that."  
She did. "You really did crack your head, but that means nothing."  
"Eat your lunch and get back out there before the kids find Helpy." He got up.  
"Ryan, is Helpy okay when I'm not here?" She never asked that before.  
Ryan nodded. "He stays in the office under the desk or in the back room. I let him be where he wants to be."  
"Why?"  
"Because he is afraid of the monsters too." He left before she could ask him what he meant by that.  
Ryan went to the backroom and lay down on the workbench. The bump on the head didn't help the headache he had.  
Iris went back to work and Helpy stayed by her side. After the restaurant closed and everyone cleaned up Iris went looking for Ryan. She hadn't seen him since their talk in the office.  
She found him fast asleep on the workbench. He was sweating and his face was in pain.  
"Ryan?" Iris shook him.   
He woke sitting up with a start. He saw Iris and hugged her.   
"Nightmare?" Iris hugged him back out of habit.  
He nodded.  
"Wanna talk about it?"  
"I was strapped to a table and couldn't move. There was shadows over me talking. I couldn't hear what they were saying. I wanted to scream but couldn't."  
"Sounds scary."   
"It was. But, everything is okay now." He got up. "What time is it?"  
"Ten."  
"Shit. Well at least that nap cured my headache."  
"Go home. I have to wait for my aunt to pick me up. She doesn't like me driving at night."   
"I will stay with you."  
"No, Helpy is good company."  
He didn't want to argue. "Stay safe." He left.  
When Iris knew Ryan was gone she turned to Helpy. "Get Molten Freddy, hide and seek."   
"You lied."  
"I wanted to keep my word and it's only going to be one round."  
"Agreed." He went to get Molten Freddy.  
They played one round of hide and seek. Helpy and Iris hid. Molten Freddy looked for them. He found Iris first. He wrapped his wires around her and held her up. "Found you."  
She laughed. "I have to go home and sleep."  
He was sad now. "Okay." He sounded pouty. He went back into the Maze.  
Iris opened the door to leave. Heather was there. She looked mad.  
"Ryan went home," Iris said.  
Heather slapped Iris. "How dare you speak his name?"  
Iris stumbled back. "What?"  
Heather walked in. She locked the door behind her. "You dirty whore. You took him from me."  
"I didn't take him away. He isn't mine or yours." Iris backed away.  
"Lair." She jumped her. She pushed Iris to the ground.  
Iris pushed Heather off her. She rolled to her feet. "We can deal with this peacefully."  
"I will rip your face off." Heather came at Iris again.   
Iris was prepared this time. She kicked Heather in the stomach as hard as she could.  
Heather keeled over. She was caught off guard. She fell to her knees unable to breathe.   
"Ready to be civil now?"  
Heather looked at her. Hate burning in her eyes. "Die." Was the only word she could get out.  
"Listen I have no interest in Ryan. He isn't my type."  
"He...wants you." She was doing better. "He always gets... who he wants."  
"There's a first for everything."  
Heather gritted her teeth. She bowed her head. She started crying.  
Iris fought her desire to comfort this woman. She kept her guard up. She had learned not to trust people.   
Heather looked up and pointed a gun at her. "I will end you."  
Iris put her hands up. "I will leave."   
"What?"  
"I will stop coming here. Would that cool your rage?"  
Heather got up. She was confused. "No." She took better aim.  
A claw clapped down on her arm suddenly. The animatronic were surprisingly quiet. Baby let her anger be known. "I don't think so."   
Heather looked at Baby and screamed. She fought to get away. She kicked and hit Baby.  
"Settle or I will pull that arm off." Baby lifted Heather off the ground.  
Heather stopped. It had become painful to moved. "Let me go you freakshow."  
Baby was as annoyed. "Can I kill this thing?" Baby waved Heather like a toy.  
Heather screamed in pain. "Please let me go."  
"No, no more death. We can find a peaceful salutation."  
"Die, whore."  
"You sure?" Baby asked.  
"Take her gun. Make sure she's unarmed..." Iris corrected herself. "Weapon free before you let her go."   
"I rather unarm her." Baby did what she was told. She let Heather go.  
Heather attacked Iris again. Iris tried not to hurt Heather as she avoided her hits. The animatronics watched.  
Heather got a hold of Iris's shirt and ripped it.  
Helpy covered his eyes at the sight of Iris's bra. "Shouldn't see."  
Iris had enough. "That's it." Iris started kicking and punching Heather.  
Heather stumbled back. "You have fight after all." She spit out blood.   
"I am bored." Baby said. "Can we hurry this cat fight along?" She threw a knife at Heather and another at Iris.  
Molten Freddy looked at Baby. "You need bloodshed, don't you?"  
"Yes."  
"Okay but if she cuts Iris, I will kill her, then I will rip your head off."  
Heather picked up both knives. "I will cut your heart out."  
Iris did a backflip away. "Heather please, you need to stop. I don't want to hurt you or worse."   
"I will kill you." Heather went at her again.  
Iris sighed. She had no other choice. Iris grabbed Heather's wrists. She spread her arms wide. "Last chance." She squeezed and dug her nails into Heather's wrists.  
"Fuck off." Heather dropped the knives.  
"Molt...eddy, get me rope." Iris fought Heather to the ground.  
Molten Freddy came with rope and safety pins.   
Iris tied Heather up with Molten Freddy's help. Baby gagged Heather because she was tired of her voice.  
"Why did you bring safety pins?" Iris asked Molten Freddy.  
Molten Freddy let out a nervous laugh. "You underwear is showing."  
Iris looked down and yelped. She covered herself, took the safety pins and went to the corner to fix her top the best she could.   
Iris came back. "I am punk now." She laughed.   
"What are you going to do with her?" Helpy asked.   
"If Molten Freddy can help, I am going to kidnap her, take her to my aunt and uncle and hopefully they can find a peaceful salutation because she isn't listening to me."  
Molten Freddy nodded. He helped Iris put Heather into the backseat of her car.  
Iris made sure everything and everyone was in the right place and cleaned up. She locked the restaurant up for the night and drove home.  
She found her aunt and uncle waiting for her when she got home.  
She told them what happened. They were hugging her by the end of it.   
"Are you hungry?" Her uncle asked.  
"No, I am just tired." Iris felt better.  
"Head to your room," her aunt said. "I will check on you later."   
Iris nodded and went to her room. She lay on her bed and a thought came back to her. "What did he mean by Helpy is afraid of the monsters too?"

Heather was still fighting the ropes. She heard the car door open. She looked at the opened door and screamed.


	4. Chapter 4

Iris woke up from a strange dream. She didn't bother trying to think about it. It was already fading and it was time to start the day.  
Iris rubbed her eyes and looked around the room. Everything was where it had been the night before. Plushies, figures, and colorful posters were mixed with plain décor.  
She hugged her favourite plushie and looked at the cats at the end of her bed. Sisters born from a stray cat she found when she was out playing. One was white and fluffy with bright blue eyes and the other was a black short haired with green eyes. She named them Nix and Cloudy.   
Iris got up and got ready to go to work. She went down stairs to the dining room followed by the cats.   
Heather was at the table eating oat meal. She hadn't said a word since they found her a week after the night Iris took her home. She looked hollow eyed and fragile. She was lost in her own mind and it wasn't pretty whatever was going on inside it.  
Iris fed the cats. She went into the kitchen and found her aunt and uncle cuddling and flirting. "I am scarred for life." She joked.  
"You've seen us worse." Her aunt said.   
"Where are the others?"  
"Outside, picking flowers, tipping cows, enjoying life." He uncle said he kept his eyes on the pot on the stove.  
"Oh good." Iris frowned. "Have you found out how Heather went to la la land?"  
"No, I am worried." Her aunt said. "But you shouldn't worry about it, it's our problem."  
"Okay, breakfast better not be oatmeal."  
"You will eat your oatmeal and not be hungry." Her uncle said.  
Iris give him big doe eyes and pouted. "But I don't like oatmeal."  
"I will pack it for your lunch."  
She sighed. "Okay you win." She took her bowl of oatmeal and went to the dining room.  
Her aunt and uncle joined her at the table. "You haven't talked about work lately," her aunt said.  
"Nothing has happened. I go to work, Ryan flirts with me, I fix things, I play games with Molten Freddy, Helpy, and sometimes Baby."  
"Honey, we need to have a talk." Her uncle said.  
"If this is about sex. Auntie and I had that talk when I started high school."  
"No, your aunt and I think you should... give Ryan a chance and go out with him."  
"Are you out of your mind?!" She stood up slamming her hands on the table. "First you feed me gruel then..."  
Her uncle wasn't looking at her. He only did that when he didn't like what he was saying.   
Iris calmed down and sat down. "Why?"  
"First off, we aren't saying become his girlfriend." Her aunt said. "What we are saying is to find the right person for you, you need to date."  
Iris bit her lip. She didn't like what they were saying, but she knew they were right. "Okay, but when I am ready."  
"You have six months."   
"You have to meet him first."   
"We wouldn't have it any other way."  
Iris felt better somehow. "I have to go before I am late." She hugged her aunt and gave you uncle a hug and a kiss on the cheek and left taking her lunch.  
Iris's aunt looked at Heather. "I wish you could tell what happened to you. We really do want to help."  
Heather looked at her without actually looking her. Whatever she was seeing was only in her head. 

Iris walked into the restaurant. Ryan was pacing back and forth. He looked angry. Helpy was watching him.  
Iris had to say something. "Ummmmm... Ryan?"  
Ryan stopped and looked at her. His face was serious and lacked the warmth it usually had when he looked at her. "I have bad news." He went to her. "I had to give Lloyd work."  
"That creepy security guard?"  
Ryan nodded. "When he's here, you will work with me."  
"You can't protect me, Ryan."  
"I can do my best to keep you away from him."  
"Ryan stop. I hate being coddled."  
Ryan got mad. "Coddled? You think I have been coddling you?" He sighed. He didn't want to argue with her. "I don't mean to if I am. It's just, he has a history and I don't want to take a report from you. I am asking the other girls not to be alone."  
Iris was starting to understand. "Ryan, I... I understand now it's not just me you're giving this warning to."  
"No, I am about keeping all my employees safe. That's why..." He stopped himself before he told her about his activities in The Maze. "That's why I do some things myself."  
She found herself smiling. "You're so weird."  
Ryan's usual warmth returned to his face. "Well I think you should go play with Helpy for an hour like you normally do when I'm not here."  
Iris felt caught. The blood drain from her face. "What?"  
"I know you and Helpy goof off after your work is done until I get back. But since I am going to be here I can't hide the fact I know anymore. I don't mind or care and write it off as a bonus for you. And you can tell if he's not working right. I mean, he is important for the place."  
Iris nodded. She was shocked. She was now wondering about Molten Freddy. Did Ryan know about him getting out? How far did his knowledge of her extra activities go?  
"I am going to do some paperwork. Do whatever you normally do." He went to the office.  
Helpy hugged her legs.  
Iris kneeled to his level. "I think we have Ryan wrong."  
"Yeah, but let's keep being nicely mean to him."  
Iris gave him a look.  
"I was kidding." Helpy tipped his fingers together.  
She went to the backroom and leaned against a wall that had the Maze on the other side. "Molten Freddy?" She was hoping.  
Molten Freddy was there. "I know already." He sounded sad.  
"I am sure Ryan is overreacting. Everything will go back to normal soon."  
"I hope so. If his not, he better be able to help you out." Molten Freddy sounded pissed at the end.  
"Molten Freddy... I think he can, if need be."  
"Iris, I... " He calmed down. "I hope so. You're important to all of us."  
"We are all important to someone."  
"I hope that's true."  
"Iris," Ryan called.   
Iris stood up. "I'm in the back room."  
Ryan walked in. "Iris, not to sound like one of those guys, but I need to know where you are at all times while we are working."  
Iris pouted. "That does sound like a control freak."  
"I don't mean it to be. I just want to keep everyone safe. Guests and employees."  
Iris sighed. "I know. But you have to admit you're staying with me for personal reasons."  
"I am staying with you because it's just us in the morning."  
"Oh, right." Iris let her doubt be heard in her voice.  
"Okay, I am being a little selfish keeping an eye on you myself. But my point still stands."  
Iris sighed she knew he was right. "Sorry, but I don't like it."  
"I don't either. Come on, I'll help you or do paperwork in a corner and stay out of the way."  
Iris found herself smiling again. "Hope you don't get girlie on me about grease."  
He gave her a smile back. "No more girlie than you."   
Iris and Ryan spent the morning switching from her job to his. They got their work done quickly and spent the rest of the time with Helpy who seemed happier spending more time goofing off.   
Helpy had a thought. He wanted to ask a few questions. He decided to keep them to himself until the right time.  
Lloyd came to work with the midday shift. He let his distaste for everything be known to everyone but the customers but they could tell he wasn't happy to be there. Most of his growls were aimed at Ryan.  
Iris stayed in eyesight of Ryan and the other girls were in eyesight of someone else at all times. Lloyd made them nervous, even worse than before. Even some of the boys were unnerved by him and did the same things as the girl.  
Everyday was the same. However that didn't change the fact Lloyd was making everyone more nervous. It showed with the decrease of customers.

A week past since Lloyd started working at the restaurant again. Iris decided to stayed late because Nedbear was malfunctioning and wanted to fix him when everyone left. Ever since he was disassembled and reassembled poorly he had been glitchy and cross-eyed. He may have been cross-eyed before but Iris wasn't sure.  
Ryan stayed as well. He had a bad feeling. He had found dead bodies the next morning everytime he had a bad feeling since he started working there. And he wanted to spend more time with Iris. They had become friends. Ryan wasn't the person Iris thought he was. They found they had a lot in common.  
Iris made Helpy and Ryan stay on the other side of the room as she worked. She did rewiring better without anyone near her.  
Ryan and Helpy were playing checkers. Helpy seemed to be winning. Ryan had three pieces left and Helpy had all his. "You're bad at this game." Helpy said.  
"Maybe," Ryan took all but one of Helpy pieces.  
"You planned that."  
"Yep, do you surrender?"  
"Never."  
Ryan smiled. "Have it your way."  
"Ryan, I've been wondering. Why don't you ever talk about your family? Everyone else does, but you don't."  
Ryan's smile dropped. He looked away and thought. "I answer if Iris answers the same questions."  
"Deal." Iris said. she had been listening to them.  
Helpy asked his first question. "Any siblings?"   
Ryan sighed. "I have two older stepsisters and a stepbrother. They don't like me. We never got along and we don't talk now."   
"You already know I'm an only child," Iris said  
"What about your mom?"  
"What I can remember of her. She was a caring beautiful woman. She found peace and reason with everything. Even with the darker things. I know my dad loved her. And we were happy. But that all changed. I don't understand it, even now. You see, my dad. He... His family didn't like my mom and didn't like the way she was raising me. My mom was a strong willed woman. They somehow made her leave without taking me with her." He couldn't hide the pain in his voice.  
"Your stepmother?"  
Ryan sighed. "She is a selfish gold-digger."  
"My mom was great." Iris said. "She was like... She would move heaven and earth to keep me safe. She was strong but nurturing."  
"You made your mom sound prefect." Ryan said.  
Iris shook her head and looked at him. "No, far from it. She... was no more prefect than the rest of us." She looked away. It was easy to see there was something she didn't want to talk about.  
Helpy broken the silence. "How about your dad?"   
"After my mom left, my dad became distant and devoted to his work. He gave me the money to take this place."  
That made Iris stop working completely. "Wait, you weren't put in charge?"  
Ryan shook his head. "Not exactly. I was offered the place and I took the offer."  
"Why?"  
"Why not?"  
Iris sighed. "You know I never knew my dad, but I have... impressions of him."  
"What do you mean?"  
"My dad was there when I was a baby, but... I know he loves me, and my mom. I could feel his love, and my parents happiness. My family was happy, but my dad didn't come back one day. My mom told me one day, he would come back."  
"Sounds like his in prison."  
"My guess is, it's something like that."  
"You don't know."  
"My aunt and uncle won't talk about it."  
"They will talk about killer... " They heard a noise. They looked at the door. "Drill gun." They ran to the door.  
The noise had stopped before they could reached the door.  
They knew it would be stuck but they tried anyway. Ryan decided to tackle the door. "Fucking shit." He held his shoulder.  
"There's a vent." Iris pointed at the opening.  
Ryan shook his head. "No, the grate is sealed on the other side. One of the few."  
Iris stopped and thought about it. Ryan was right, some of the vents in the main restaurant had grates and they were screwed shut. She nodded. "Right that one is screwed shut on the other side."  
They heard the air conditioner kick on higher. "You got to be kidding." Ryan said.  
"What is it?"  
"The air conditioner is actually a freezer unit."  
"Seriously." Iris couldn't believe it. She knew the company was crazy and made bad decisions, but not by this much.  
"Yes, I don't know why they put it in."  
Iris started to shake. It had been a mild seventy before and they were under it. "Does ... What his name know about this?"  
Ryan got a blanket from a bin in the corner. He had been staying late and sleeping at the restaurant once in a while. Ever since Lloyd came back, he been sleeping at the restaurant every night, going home only for clean clothes and a shower. Helpy told Iris.  
"Snuggle with Helpy," Ryan said.  
Iris was surprised. "Not with you?"  
"I would like to snuggle under a blanket with you but Helpy is warmer than I am. And he'll be safe with you."  
"What will you do?"  
Ryan looked. "The upper air ducts look strong and big."  
Iris looked where he was. "It does. I will go."   
"I'm not that chubby."  
"Whatever big butt."  
"Yours is bigger in a good way." He smiled at her.   
She sighed. "Rock, paper, scissors."  
They did. Ryan won. He climbed a filing cabinet and into the air duct. He was shaking. Partly from fear, partly from the cold. He moved carefully trying not to make noise. He found the exit. He grabbed the sides and dropped down in his office hard. He rubbed his legs. He grabbed a jacket and a Philips screwdriver.   
He walked softly out. He moved slowly to the backroom door. It had a board in front of it. He carefully started to unscrew the boarded from the wall. Keeping an eye out for Lloyd.  
Ryan heard footsteps coming his way. He grabbed the first screw and hurried as quietly as possible away from the door. He hid behind a arcade machine.  
Lloyd came into view. He checked the board and found one of the screws missing. He growled. "Okay, which one of you is out here?"  
Ryan stayed silent. He fought the urge to look where Lloyd was. He kept his back to the arcade machine. He listened for Lloyd's footsteps. Looking only left to right.  
Lloyd started searching. "If you come out now I'll make it quick," he barked.  
Ryan stayed where he was. He knew he needed to stay level headed and he couldn't just hide. He thought about Lloyd's employment record and what it said about him.   
Lloyd's footsteps came closer going towards the left side the side of the arcade machine. When Lloyd was almost to the point of seeing him. Ryan moved quickly and quietly to the right of the machine.  
Ryan got an idea. It was a bad one but he couldn't afford to play cat and mouse all night.  
He pop out of his hiding spot. "Let's get this over with."  
Lloyd turned and gave Ryan a crazied smile. "I was hoping it was you." He chuckled. "Though that little girlfriend of yours would have been a good time in a different way. Maybe after I'm done with you I'll have my way with her."   
Ryan didn't current him. He had to say calm and clear headed. "Are you going to be all talk?"  
"I just want to ask you one thing?"  
"And what's that?"  
"Do you know why we're all here?"  
Ryan waved it off. "We all have our reasons and I don't care."  
Ryan's answer throw Lloyd off. He was expecting to confuse Ryan not himself. He growled. "How do you not care."  
Ryan smiled. It wasn't a good one. "Because I know why this place exist."  
That made Lloyd more confused. He was in deep with the company and even he didn't know why the place existed, how could Ryan?  
Ryan chuckled. "He hasn't told you, has he?"  
Lloyd gritted his teeth. "And he told you?"  
"No."  
"Then how do you know?"  
"It's a long story and you won't be around after tonight."  
Lloyd laughed. "You are wrong, boy." He jumped at Ryan.  
Ryan turned and ran. 'Took him long enough.' He thought. He ran towards The Maze.  
Lloyd ran after him. He knew what Ryan was doing and he took jumping strides to catch up with Ryan.   
Lloyd caught up with Ryan just before he reached the entrance to The Maze. "Someone had a fucked up idea." Lloyd picked Ryan up. "And that one is me." He throw Ryan across the room.   
Ryan landed hard in front of the show stage. After a moment, Ryan staggered to his feet. He used the show stage to help left himself.   
Lloyd moved towards him. "You're a fucking cockroach, just lay down and let me kill you."  
"No," Ryan stood straight. "Last chance to quit." He grabbed a mic stand from the stage. It was taller than he was.  
Lloyd let out a barking laugh. "You think you can win against me."  
"We'll see, but if you do manage to kill me. Know I am the lesser devil here." He removed the top of the stand that held the mic.  
"What the fuck is that suppose to mean?"  
"Well, one way or another, you'll find out."  
Lloyd ran towards Ryan.   
Ryan moved back. He kept the mic stand at the ready to use as a weapon.  
They moved faster and faster. Lloyd forward. Ryan backwards. They were running by the time the chase came to it's end.  
Ryan had bumped into a table and tripped. He let go of the mic stand as he fell backwards.   
Lloyd didn't stop in time. The mic stand tilted towards him and sunk deep into the soft tissues of his neck.   
Ryan sat up in shock. Blood was flowing down the mic stand and Lloyd's body.   
Lloyd was still alive. With a shaky hand he grabbed the mic stand.  
Ryan could not help but to say something. "Wait, don't..."  
Lloyd pulled out the mic stand. Blood gust out of the wound. He tried to stop the bleeding by covering the wound with his hand. Blood streamed through his fingers. He fell to his knees.  
Ryan stood up. "Someone should have told you when you get stabbed or impaled, never remove that object it's slowing the bleeding."  
Lloyd passed out from blood loss. The blood pooled around him.   
Ryan turned down the air-conditioning. He ran to the door to the backroom. He unscrewed the board and pulled opened door. He hugged and kissed Iris's cold lips.   
Iris made a surprised sound. Partly because she wasn't expecting him to kiss her and partly because his warm lips pressed against her cold ones was a shocking feeling.  
Ryan jumped back before she could push him back. He was embarrassed. "Sorry, that was a little pushy and forward. I was just happy to see you're okay."  
Iris was speechless. She wasn't sure if that kiss counted or not. She wasn't sure how to feel. She shook and recovered herself. "Don't do that again without permission."  
"No promises."  
She smiled. It quickly faded. "I smell blood."  
Ryan turned his back on her. He couldn't look at her. "Go home, I'll clean up."  
Iris dropped the blanket and took Ryan's hand. "Show me."  
Ryan sighed. "Iris, let me be a selfish mocho jerk."  
"Not in this lifetime or the next."  
Ryan sighed. He took Iris to Lloyd's body. He checked for life signs. "Sorry, I left him dying. He's dead now."  
Iris nodded. "Let's cremate the body already. Then I'll help you clean up and we both can go home."  
"You're not going to ask what happened?"  
"You can tell me as we clean up."   
They picked up Lloyd's body. "Jesus, he is heavier than I thought." Iris said.  
"All bullshit," Ryan said.  
"Oh god, I've become jaded, because I found that funny."  
"This place will do that to you from what I heard."  
"I heard the same thing."   
They shoved Lloyd's body into the cremation machine and turned it on.  
Iris had to ask. "What happens to all the smoke?"  
"It's routed into several pipes. We are getting a machine for water cremation next month. We are going green."  
"Come with me to the supply closet." She moved passed him.  
"Iris?"  
She stopped and turned to look at him. "Yes."  
"I'm... not sorry for kissing you earlier. Even cold, you have soft lips."  
Iris shook her head. "I decided that didn't count."  
"Is that an invite to try again?"  
"Hurry up, I'm tired."

Ryan went to his apartment. He flopped down on his sofa and stared up at the ceiling. The only light coming from a street light outside. He thought about what happened.  
Ryan didn't realize he fell asleep. He woke up in his own bed. He rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. Everything was in place. Not that there was anything to his room. It was basic and bland.   
He could smell bacon. He walked into the kitchen and found his roommates cooking. Just the start of another day.


End file.
